Accusations of granting thousands of citizenships to persons in order to win the next general election – according to Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell – are false.

United Democratic Party (UDP) Leader John Pinder during the grand opening of his party headquarters in Fox Hill said the current government has granted 3,000 Bahamian citizenships.

Additionally, Mr. Pinder said 900 of those 3,000 were for residents in the Fox Hill community specifically.

Mr. Mitchell outright defended himself and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that they would never participate in such thing.

“The Bahamas government has not granted 3,000 citizenships recently or I don’t’ even know if they have granted any citizenship at all for this term,” he said.

“Secondly, the government has not granted 900 citizenships to people in Fox Hill at all. That is completely ludicrous, it’s stupid and it makes no sense. If that were the case you would see that obviously in Fox Hill.”

While speaking to The Bahama Journal Mr. Mitchell also suggested the allegations were made as Mr. Pinder had nothing left to use.

He says when it is close to election time there are two things some people seek to do to distract the public.

“They come up with stories that are simply ludicrous and not true in the hopes that in this particular culture people just latch on to it and think that damages the reputation of the incumbent,” he said.

“The second thing they do is then come up with fantasy stories trying to attack in a personal way you as an incumbent and that’s usually the last refuge of a scoundrel I say, it’s that they come up with this stuff.”

Following the accusation, Mr. Mitchell also released a brief statement denouncing the party leader’s comments.

To date, Mr. Mitchell said he could give any numbers as it relates to person being granted any kind of citizenship within the past weeks or even year.